This video, filmed in various Russian cities including Sochi, Moscow, and parts of Siberia, offers a ground-level perspective on daily life in Russia in 2025, operating under over 24,000 international sanctions. It challenges prevailing external narratives, particularly the misconception of empty supermarket shelves, demonstrating that essential goods and even many international brands remain widely available, often through rebranding or parallel imports. The creators detail the significant challenges faced by both Russians and foreigners regarding international finance and travel due to Russia's exclusion from the SWIFT payment system, necessitating reliance on cash, alternative payment methods, and complex travel itineraries. While domestic economic activity largely continues without major disruption for those operating within Russia's internal systems, the video emphasizes the constant need for adaptation in areas like monetary transfers, international travel, and accessing certain social media platforms, highlighting a rapidly evolving "new normal."
Life in Russia Under Sanctions: A 2025 Perspective
0:00 The video introduces the reality of life in Russia under extensive sanctions in 2025, noting over 24,000 sanctions from more than 50 countries.
0:38 Filmed in Sochi, the observations are presented as representative of the situation across Russia, including major cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg, and regions in Siberia.
1:03 Supermarket shelves are shown to be full, directly refuting the common Western narrative of scarcity; many international products (e.g., Nescafe, Dove) are still available, some having undergone rebranding or Cyrillic label changes.
2:33 Food imports and exports were largely unsanctioned as of 2025, and brand departures were often unilateral decisions by companies.
2:55 A key example is Coca-Cola, which is now produced by a Russian company under a new label using the original recipe in former Coca-Cola factories.
3:24 Prices for essentials have increased due to high inflation, but the selection of products and the number of shoppers in stores remain largely unchanged.
3:39 Traveling to Russia has become more complicated, with new visa processes and considerations for entry and expectations once inside the country.
5:11 In the fast-food sector, Burger King, Papa John's, and Subway have largely remained, while KFC rebranded to Rostic's, and McDonald's became Vkusno i Tochka. Many international retail shops have also left, but some have rebranded and continue operations.
6:20 Money & SWIFT: Russia was cut off from the SWIFT payment system in 2022. While Russian cards (Visa/MasterCard) stopped working abroad, they function normally within Russia. For those earning and spending money domestically, financial life is largely unchanged, despite high inflation and rising wages.
7:44 For Russians traveling abroad, traditional card use is largely impossible. Methods for moving money out include cash, "shady" cryptocurrency exchanges, and previously CoronaPay (which became banned from North America/Europe in June 2024). UnionPay and Mir cards, once partial workarounds, are now largely ineffective due to secondary sanctions threats.
10:12 International Flights: Direct flights to Europe, North America, Japan, and South Korea have ceased. However, flights to countries like Turkey (a major hub), China, UAE, Armenia, and Georgia are still available. Internal tourism in Russia is booming, with places like Sochi becoming year-round destinations. Russians can still obtain Schengen visas from certain EU countries (e.g., Spain, Italy).
11:32 Social Media: Facebook and Instagram are banned (labeled extremist) but are widely accessed via VPN. Twitter/X is also banned but used with VPNs. TikTok is restricted. YouTube is not banned but faces severe speech repression and uncertainty, impacting Russian creators who can no longer monetize through international platforms and are exploring Russian alternatives (VK Videos, RuTube) or bank accounts in "friendly" countries like Kazakhstan.
13:13 Foreigners in Russia: International bank cards are unusable; cash is essential. Euros may be confiscated at EU land borders. Hotels can be booked via Ostrovok.ru, which uniquely accepts international cards due to a Cyprus base. Obtaining a SIM card has become extremely complicated as of January 2025. Conversely, opening a Russian bank account for internal use with cash is relatively simple.
15:48 Conclusion: Three years into sanctions, daily life for average Russians has not drastically changed. The main impacts are felt by those working with the West or traveling internationally. While prices have risen, society has adapted quickly, and a "new normal" has emerged.